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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffPeople with schizoaffective disorder generally respond best to a combination of medications and counseling. The exact regimen varies depending on the type and severity of symptoms, and whether the disorder is depressive-type or bipolar-type.
In general, doctors prescribe medications to alleviate psychotic symptoms, stabilize mood and treat depression. Meanwhile, psychotherapy can help curb distorted thoughts, teach appropriate social skills and diminish social isolation.
Medications may include:
- Antipsychotics. Also called neuroleptics, doctors prescribe these medications to alleviate psychotic symptoms, such as delusions, paranoia and hallucinations. Antipsychotic medications include clozapine (Clozaril), risperidone (Risperdal) and olanzapine (Zyprexa).
- Mood-stabilizing medications. When the schizoaffective disorder is bipolar-type, mood stabilizers can level out the highs and lows of bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression. People with bipolar disorder have episodes of mania and depressed mood. Examples of mood stabilizers include lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid) and divalproex (Depakote).
- Antidepressants. When depression is the underlying mood disorder, antidepressants can alleviate feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or difficulty with sleep and concentration. Common medications include citalopram (Celexa), fluoxetine (Prozac) and escitalopram (Lexapro).
Nonmedication therapy may include:
- Psychotherapy and counseling. Building a trusting relationship in therapy can help people with schizoaffective disorder better understand their condition and feel hopeful about their future. Effective sessions focus on real-life plans, problems and relationships. New skills and behaviors specific to settings such as the home or workplace also may be introduced.
- Family or group therapy. Treatment can be more effective when people with schizoaffective disorder are able to discuss their real-life problems with others. Supportive group settings can also help decrease social isolation and provide a reality check during periods of psychosis.
In general, people with schizoaffective disorder have a better prognosis than do people with schizophrenia, but not as good as that of people with mood disorders only. However, long-term treatment is necessary, and the prognosis varies from person to person.
- 1. Schizoaffective disorder. National Alliance on Mental Illness. http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=By_Illness&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=54&ContentID=23043. Accessed Oct. 22, 2008.
- 2. Schizoaffective disorder. Merck Manuals Online Medical Library: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals.
http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec15/ch202/ch202d.html. Accessed Oct. 22, 2008. - 3. Schizoaffective disorder. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association Publishing; 2000.
- 4. Schizoaffective disorder. In: Sadock BJ, et al. Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2005:1533.
